A Sound of Thunder versus Nethergrave

A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury, and Nethergrave by Gloria Skurzynski are both mediocre science fiction short stories. A Sound of Thunder is about a man named Eckels who goes back in time to hunt a Tyrannosaurus rex. Nethergrave is about a boy who wants to be more popular and talented than he is, who lives in an online world to escape his reality. A Sound of Thunder is better than Nethergrave, as it has a stronger plot, a better theme and it has better characterization. A Sound of Thunder is filled with more science and technology than Nethergrave. A Sound of Thunder wins in the category of scientific content. If not careful the whole world can be changed. Eckels and safari leader Travis discuss …show more content…
However, you friend have stepped on all the tigers in that region by stepping on just one mouse. So the caveman starves, and the caveman please note is not just any expendable man, no! He is an entire future nation (Bradbury 291.) Bradbury in a very concise matter of fact manner, explains the horrendous magnitude of one single mishap. Whereas, Skurzynski uses no science in Nethergrave. Technologically A Sound of Thunders uses the time machine, as well as the gravity walkway. While Nethergrave uses the computer and computer graphics. Bradbury is very descriptive in explaining the time machine. He states that it is a mass and tangle, a snaking and humming of wires and steel boxes, at an aurora that flickered now orange, now silver, now blue (Bradbury 288.) There is a sound like a gigantic bonfire burning all of Time, a touch of one hand and the burning reverse itself (Bradbury 288.) Years fly by, A.D 2055, A.D. 2019, 1999! 1957! Gone! The machine roars, they put on their oxygen masks and test the intercoms (Bradbury 289). Bradbury takes you all the way back to the day that the dinosaur would have died and clearly describes how Eckels panics and runs off while …show more content…
Bradbury, goes into great detail about the jungle and the metal path. The path is non gravity so as to keep you from stepping on anything at all not a flower nor blade of grass (Bradbury 290). However, when Eckels panics and runs he walks blindly to the edge of the path and steps off (Bradbury 296.) Travis is so angry that he threatens to leave Eckels in the jungle. Since Eckels whines not to be left behind Travis tells him to go put both hands up to his elbows in the dinosaur’s mouth and remove all the bullets (Bradbury 298). Eckels does so and Travis lets him onto the machine, however, he still threatens Eckel that he may shoot him if he has altered the present (Bradbury 298). They then return to the present and see some minor changes. There is something different in the air, and the entire sign even it still reads the same the words are all spelled differently (Bradbury 299). Finally, Eckels notices the dead butterfly on the bottom of his shoe. He finds out that Deutsher won the election and not Keith who had won before they left on their journey. Finally, Eckels starts to cry, no not something as small as a butterfly (Bradbury 299-300). As for Nethergrave, Skurzynski doesn’t go into much detail about the setting. She simply mentions two places the soccer field and Jeremy’s bedroom, however she does not explain how either one looks. Whereas, Bradbury makes it so real that you feel like you are in the